Washing machine



2 Sheets-Sheet l IH'SZ'ENTDE- Ari? z wzw D lS, 1924,.

W. ALTORFER WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 29, 1924 Dec. 16,1924.

A. w. ALTORFER WASHING MACHINE Fil 1924 2 Sheets$heet 2 INVERTER.

Ill/ villi! ATM" Patented Dec. 16, 1924.

uNrrE-o STATES ALPHEUS W. ALTORFER, F PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

WASHING MACHINE.

Application filed October 29, 1924. Serial No. 746,552.

- Machines, of which the following is a speci fication.

My invention relates to washing machines.

The invention has special reference to a washing machine wherein thecontainer or tub is adapted to be moved through a continuousuninterrupted circular course.

The invention includes the mounting of a tub upon a support below thebottom thereof, and eccentrically with respert to the axial center of adriving means, wherein the tub body may be driven in a continuouscircular course about the center of said drivin means and to means forcontrolling the tu from turning upon its own'axis.

The invention also includes the support of a tub at an angle inclinedtowards an axial line extension from the driving means wherein lineextensions through the axis of said driving means will intersect a pointlocated above the bottom of the tub.

The invention also includes a special character of tub support locatedbeneath the tub, and the relationing of the same respectively to adriving member and to the tub, whereby the tub may be driven in anuninterrupted circular course about an axial line extension from thedriving means, and to compensating means in association with the drivingmeans and the tub, to control the turning of the tub upon the axis ofits support.

The invention also 'includes'modification of the defined structurewherein the means, herein shown, for controlling the turning of the tubwith reference to its supporting axis, may be modified in a manner topermit the tub to turn throughout a limited arc of its circumferenceduring the period that the tub body is turned throughout the course of acomplete circle. 7

The invention also includes. a special frame or basket support for thetub, to permit the latter to,be readily separated or removed from suchbasket support.

The invention includes details of construction and special combinationof-parts and functioning utility of the same to produce certainoperative results, hereinafter more particularly specified and pointedout in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1, is a side elevation of the machine, the dottedlines therein indicating variation with respect to positioning ofmovable parts in the course of operation of the machine.

Fig. 2, is a vertical sectional detailed View of related partsfunctioning in the driving action of the machine, taken on the line 33of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 3, is a cross sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 2, the dottedline shown therein, indicating relative travel course location ofassociated parts.

The applicant has knowledge of known art relating to washing machineswherein a tub is supported upon a traveling inclined disc and heldagainst rotation when its disc support is rotated, the same beingillustrated in the patent to Greenberg, 1,330,801,

dated February 17, 1920.

Referring, now particularly, to the framing support shown'in thedrawings; 10 and 11 are respectively upper and lower ring membersattached to vertical framing members 12. 13 is designed to indicate apartial top closure member, designed, in practice, to be provided with acentral opening above the top of a tub, designed to be'supported in theframing. 14, is a diagrammatic showing intended to represent a gearhousing and gear content, the latter comprisingsuch gear members asmayserve-to drive shaft 15, connected therewith, in a constantdirection. 16, refers generally to a crank arm member attached to shaft15, and with its upper portion fashioned with a circular opening 17,disposed in an inclined relation with respect to the vertical axis ofshaft 15. 18, is a tubular sleeve member turnably seated in opening 17in'sa-id crank arm member 16.

which includes a central hub member and ill) radial arm members 21,terminating at their viding what might be termed, a basket housing orsupport for a tub member 25. To the hub portion 20, of tub supportmember 19, is fixed a stub shaft or post 26, positioned on ajlinethrough the central axis of 1 terin the tub and depending downwardlyfrom hub member of said tub'support andprojecting through andinturnablefit relation'with tubular member 18, supported in conjunctionwith crank. arm member 16,

whereby, through relative engage'ment'ot hub member 20 of the. tubsupport with crank arm member 16, the former is supported from thelatter. In the relation. of

support-from shaft 15, asabove indicated.

it will appear that the axial center of support for the tub, is at aninclined angle toward a line extension from the vertical,- axis of shaft15, and that'such axial exten- Jsion lines. will intersect at a pointabove the bottom of the tub support, and also it will appear that withthe rotation of shaft 15, the axial supporting center for the tub willbe swung about driving shaft-'15, and

similarly the tub will be caused to describe a similar circular. coursewhereby, it thetub is maintained in fixed position with respect to aturning upon itsaaxial. center, that a point preferably within theconfines 'of'the tub coinciding with the intersecting axial lineextensions of driving shaft-15, and censhaft 26, for the. .tub will besub stantlally stationary, and constitutes the pre- ' venting the tubfromturning upon its own axis 27, is a stationary gear member fashioned'with a sleeve portion 28, and perforated flange portion 29, the latteradapted to .be fixedly seated in conjunction with gear. case member 14;and 30, is a sleeve member interposed between said gear and shaft the.latter being) 15. 31, is a gear member fixed to the lower end of tubcentering shaft 26,- and; 32, is an idle gear, journaled in boxingmember 33, supported in conjunction 'th screw mem er 34, having threadedsupp rt in conjunction with the body of crank arm member 16, said idlegear being oooperativel related to gear members 27, and 31. Thehimctioning effect of the provision of such gearmembers is, that asshaft15 is turned to c'auseshaft extension member 26, from the tubsupport to be moved'about driving shaft'15, said shaft extension memher, through its gear connection with fixed x gear member 27, and aproper relative relationing asto diameter and tooth members. serves toexactly compensate for the general turning movement of the tub fromshaft 15, whereby said tub will be maintained in a stationary positionwith respect to a vertical plane through its axis, and also with.

respect to a point coincident withthe inter-- section of axial lineextensions from the the driven shaft to driving and tub supportingmeans, whereby a constantly progressive tipping of the tub intoconstantly varying plane positions is efi'ected.

I desire to note here that 'it is within my conception. thatcompensating gear members 27, and 31, may be'varied with respect todiameter or tooth'member, or both, to the end of efi'ecting only partialcompensation for the revolving action of. the tub about-J line extensionthrough the axes of shaft 15,

in its e-fl'ect without such compensating meansto changethe position ofthe tub with res set to the axes of its support, whereby, 1m er suchmodification of gear relation over that shown in the action. of causingthe tub to travel through the course of a complete 'circle, the travelof the tub with respect to its axis will be less or more than through acourse comprehending a com- 8 plete circle about said tub;

We. name this modification as to relative motions about the drivingcenter and axiallyof the tub, merely to'in'dicate means that might-beadopted to effect approximation of the result attained by the specificmeans herein shown, but with no suggestion as to equivalency of resultattained.

-- WhatI' claim is:

1. In a washing machine, in tion, a supporting frame, a driven shaftsupported thereon, a tub supportfixed to the driven shaft, -a tubmounted thereon, eccentrically. and inclined toward the axis of thedrivensh'aft whereby the tub may be swung aboutthe driving axis in acontinu- Ous circular course and means actuated by prevent .rotation'ofthe tub.

2. In a washing machine, in combination, 1 a supporting frame, avertically disposed drive. shaft supported thereon, a support for thetub fixed to the, drive shaft, a tub mount ed upon the supporteccentrically and at an inwardly inclined angle with relation to the 1axes of said drive shaft and means to limit rotation of the tub.

. 3. In a washing machine, in combination, a supporting frame, a drivenmember thereon,- a tub supportin member fixed to the 115 driven member,a tu member seated. upon said support in substantial register with theaxial center of itssupport and eccentrically and at an inwardly inclinedangle with relationto the axis of the driven member and 124? meansactive through the rotation of the driven member to-control the tub fromro- I tating.

4. In a washing machine, in combination, a supporting frame, a driveshaft supported i thereon, a support for a tub, a tub mounted upon thesupport eccentrically and at an inwardly inclined angle with relation tothe axis of said drive shaft, and means having a movement relatively tothe movement-of combinathe drive shaft to restrict the rotation of thetub.

5. A washing machine having in combination, a tub seat, a tub removablyseated therein, and axially removable therefrom, a driven me her locatedeccentrically wit relation to the center of the tub seat,'and meansoperable rm the driven member and acting in conjunction with the tubseat to contr l he rotation qf the latter. about its own axis.

6. A washing machine having in combina-.

' frame, a driven s means for driving'the said shaft, a crank arm fixedto the opening therein, and inclined towards the axis of said tion,- asupporting frame, a driven ishaft mounted thereon, a tub supp dr venshaft, a tub mounted on said support eccentrioally with reference to theaxis of a the drive shaft, whereby the tub may be swung about the axisof the drive shaft in a continuous circular course, and means actuatedby. the driven shaft to prevent rotation of the tub.

7. A washing machine having-in combination, a supporting frame, a' Imounted thereon, a support for a tub, a tub mounted upon the sup orteccentrically with relation to the axis 0 the drive shaft, and meanshaving movement relative to the movementcf the drive shaft to limit therotation of the tub.

' 8. In a washing machine, a driven shaft,

- a tub, means for connecting the'tub to said driven shaft for revolvingthe tub about ive shaft 7 gear member ,meshing above mentioned gears,whereby the rotation tub during said revolution. I 1

9. In combination, a tub .seat, a tub removably. seated therein, 11 abletherefrom, an inclined driven memberlocated eccentrically with relationand axially removcenter of the tub seat, means connecting the tub seatto the driven member and means for preventing *about its own axis. I

10. In a washing1 machine, a supporting ing shaft, "a I member, a shaftdepending axially aft supported thereon,

shaft provided with an spaced from said shaft,

driva tub om the sleeve in ,said openin tub and supportedwithin thesleeve-member of said crank arm member, a gearfixed to the tub shaft,a-gear-fixed to the" frame and:

centered about the drive shaft, andianidle with each of said to the the5 the tub seat from rotating oft-he tub about its ownaxis will becontrolled during the revolution of the tub about theaxis of the driveshaft.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signa- ALPHnUs WrALTOBFER.

